Gospel Christmas

One, two, three...

-# Mary had a baby

-Yes, Lord

-# Mary had a baby

-Yes, my Lord

-# Mary had a baby

-Yes, Lord

# The people keep a-comin' but the train done gone

# One more time

# The people keep a-comin' but the train done gone. #

Are you ready for the perfect Christmas party?

Well, pour yourself a hot chocolate and join us and several

hundred friends inside this beautiful church for

a feast of uplifting seasonal songs.

It's Christmas, gospel-style.

-CHOIR:

-# Yeah

# Hallelujah

# Sing the good news of Gospel Christmas! #

BBC Gospel Christmas, you better put those hands together,

like you know what's going down.

# Let me hear you say joy

# Joy

# Joy

# Joy

# Joy

-# Joy

-Joy to the world

# Joy to the world

# Hey

# Joy, joy, joy

# Joy, joy, joy

# Joy to the world

# To the world

# Joy to the world

# The Lord is come

-# Let earth

-Let earth receive her King

-# Let every heart

-Let every heart

-# Prepare

-Prepare him room

# And heaven and nature sing

-# And heaven

-And heaven and nature sing

# And heaven

# And heaven and heaven and nature sing

# Sing it again

# And heaven and heaven

-# And na...

-Nature

-# ..ture

-Yes, we gonna sing

-# Sing

-Clap your hands

# Stomp your feet, yeah

# Oh, sing it again

-# Let me hear ya

-Sing

-# Yes, we're gonna sing it out

-Sing

-# Oh, we gonna feel it now

-Sing

-# Yeah

-Sing

-# Say, sing

-Sing it again

-# Sing

-Sing

-# One more time

-Sing

-# Sing

-Sing

-# Sing

-Hey

# Joy to the world, now

# Sing

-Hey, sing

-# Sing

# And heaven

# And heaven and heaven and nature sing

# One more time for me

# And heaven and heaven

-# And na...

-Oh, yeah, yeah

-# ..ture

-Yes, we gonna sing

-# Sing

-Hey!

# Clap your hands and sing

# Joy to the world

# Joy to the world

# Joy to the world

-# All the time

-Joy to the world

-# Joy to the world

-Joy to the world

-# One more time

-Joy to the world

# Joy to the world. #

Hello. Welcome.

Christmas for me just has to have a good old sing along.

We've got the cream of British gospel talent right here.

It's like a giant family gathering with your dream guests

dropping by and everyone joining in around the piano.

That was the House Gospel Choir opening the proceedings in style.

And on the other side of the stage,

we've got the London Community Gospel Choir.

APPLAUSE

Don't think of it as a battle of the choirs,

it's more like a love-in.

And joining them this evening, we'll have special guests.

Shaun Escoffery...

..Katy B...

..and Vade.

I'll be chipping in a song or two later myself.

CHEERING

And right now, with a musical missive from the USA,

home of gospel music, over to you, Gregory.

Yeah, I grew up in Bakersfield, California.

And my mother was a minister at the local southern-style church.

I started singing at her knee when I was just a little child

and gospel music remains part of my musical DNA.

I'm going to do a mashup of a couple of old family favourites.

When Was Jesus Born and Go Tell It On The Mountain.

Gregory Porter!

# Mmm

# When was Jesus born?

# Last month of the year

# When was Jesus born?

# Oh, last month of the year

# Oh, when was Jesus born? Hey

# Last month of the year

# Oh, when was Jesus born?

# Oh, last month of the year

-# Born in Bethlehem

-Oh, yes

# From the seed of Abraham

# Oh, yes, oh, yes

# Came down from Glory

# Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes

-# Bringing redemption stories

-Oh, yes

-# Born in a manger

-Oh, yes

-# In a lonely cattle shed

-# Oh, yes, oh, yes

-# God bless little Mary

-# Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes

-# For giving us the Saviour

-# Oh, yes

# When was Jesus born?

# Last month of the year

# Oh, my people when was Jesus born?

# Oh, last month of the year

# Oh, I said when was Jesus born?

# Last month of the year

# Oh, when was Jesus born?

# Oh, last month of the year

-# Was it January?

-No

-# February?

-No

# March, April or May?

# No, no, no

# June or July?

# August, September?

# October, November?

# When was it? Oh

# Oh, last month of the year

# I said

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

-# Over the hills and everywhere

-Over the hills and everywhere

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

-# Jesus Christ is born

-# Jesus Christ is born

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

-# Over the hills and everywhere

-Over the hills and everywhere

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

# Jesus Christ is born

# Oh, glory

# Can't you feel that spirit?

-# Glory

-Like fire shut up in your bones

-# Glory

-# Lord, it make you wanna rise

-# Jesus

-Jesus

-# Come on and clap your hands

-Jesus

-# Feel it, feel it

-Jesus

-# Let His spirit, yeah, yeah, hey

-Jesus

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

-# Over the hills and everywhere

-Over the hills and everywhere

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

-# That Jesus Christ is born

-Jesus Christ is born

# Hey

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, go tell it

-# Over the hills and everywhere

-I'm gonna let the light shine

-# Go, tell it on the mountain

-Go, tell it on the mountain

# That Jesus

# Jesus Christ is

# Born

# Jesus Christ is born

# Oh, hey! #

Tearing it up, Gregory Porter.

Now, growing up in a Pentecostal community in Wolverhampton,

my experience of gospel music actually

wasn't a million miles away from Gregory's.

Now, I sang with my mum at church from about age four

and the services on Christmas Day had full-on carols, like,

remixes in a gospel-style.

We had the old Hammond organ, we had two pianos and all

the Sisters had the tambourines with the ribbons on them.

Now, carols don't come more classic than this next one.

But we're all about classic with a twist tonight.

So, to perform it,

please welcome a young woman who has had number one hits

and MOBO nominations under her belt,

it's Katy B with Silent Night.

# Silent night

# Holy night

# All is calm

# All is bright

# Round yon virgin

# Mother and child

# Holy infant

# So tender and mild

# Sleep in heavenly peace

# Sleep in heavenly peace

# Silent night

# Holy night

# Shepherds quake

# Shepherds quake

# At the sight

# At the sight

# Glories stream

# From heaven above

# Heavenly hosts sing

# Hallelujah

-# Christ the Saviour

-Christ the Saviour

-# Is born

-Is born

-# Christ the Saviour is

-Christ the Saviour is

# Born

-# Oh, oh, oh

-Ooh, ooh

-# Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh

-Ooh, ooh

# Heavenly peace

# Oh, oh, yeah

# Sleep in heaven

# Sleep in heavenly

# Oh, so heaven

# Oh, so heaven

# Sleep in heaven

# Heavenly peace

# Sleep in heaven

# Sleep in heaven

# Oh, so heaven

# Oh, so heaven

# Sleep in heaven

# Heavenly peace

# Sleep in heavenly

# Sleep in heavenly

# Sleep in heavenly

# Peace. #

Thank you.

Next up, a bunch of young men who could just be Britain's answer

to the American a cappella gospel group Take 6.

They cite inspirations as diverse as Boyz II Men,

The Hi-Lo's and Manhattan Transfer,

but their roots are firmly in the songs of their Church

of Seventh-Day Adventist,

as well as a diverse African heritage,

pretty emblematic of the melting pot of British gospel.

Hailing from London, Corby, and Wolverhampton.

What is it about Wolverhampton?

Here are Vade.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

VOCALISED PERCUSSION AND BELL CHIMES

# Wah-dah, ooh!

# Away in a manger

# No crib for a bed

-# The little Lord Jesus

-Whoah-oh!

# Lay down his sweet head

# Bless all the little children

# In thy tender care

# And take us to heaven

# To live with thee there

# Oooh, well, well...

# Hark! The herald angels sing

# Glory to the new-born King

# Peace on earth and mercy mild

# God and sinners reconciled

-# Peace on earth...

-to men good will

# Bid the trembling soul be still

# Christ on earth has come to dwell

# Jesus, our Emmanuel

# Hark! The herald angels sing

# Glory to the new-born King

# Oh...

# The virgin Mary had a baby boy

# The virgin Mary had a baby boy

# The virgin Mary had a baby boy

# And they said that his name was Jesus

# He come from the glory

# He come from the glorious kingdom

# He come from the glory He come down

# He come from the glorious kingdom

# Whoa, yes, believer

# Whoa, yes, believer

# He come from the glory He come down

# He come from the glorious kingdom

# The angels sang when the baby was born

# The angels sang when the baby was born

# The angels sang when the baby was born

# And they said that his name Said that his name was Jesus

# He comes down He comes from the glory

# He come from the glorious kingdom

# He come from the glory He come down

# He come from the glorious, oh

# He come from the glory He come down

# He come from the glorious kingdom He come down

# He come from the glory He come down

# He come from the glorious kingdom

# Whoa, yes, believer

# Whoa, yes, believer

# He come from the glory

# He come from the glorious kingdom

-# He come from the glory

-He come down

# He come from the glorious... Da-da-dah! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Now, the London Community Gospel Choir are a national institution.

When they started, more than 30 years ago,

Gospel music was part of a way of life

for our African and Caribbean communities,

but was not on the mainstream musical map of Britain.

But, since then, founder Bazil Meade has turned the LCGC

into an international force,

in demand from everyone from Madonna to me.

Here's a peek behind the scenes as they get ready for the show,

with a little help from our musical director, Ayce.

# O, come let us adore him

# O, come let us adore him... #

I'm in rehearsal with LCGC,

probably, the most notorious choir from the UK.

Let our voices blend and work together to achieve what

we've come here for tonight.

The Reverend Bazil Meade is the godfather of UK Gospel.

# Where would I be... #

I started the LCGC initiative

through a conversation with a few church choir leaders.

I believe it was 1982.

We thought it'd be good to put these units together

and, so, we start on the journey

with little knowledge of how to navigate the music industry

because there wasn't any Gospel infrastructure.

It just didn't happen, like you have in America.

The difference when it came to LCGC is the opportunity

of singing outside of our churches

and moving into areas that the churches wouldn't go into.

# I feel the fire in our bones... #

The London Community Gospel Choir represent something like

35 different denominations within one choir.

That was the last count.

It's probably more now.

We made the sound accessible to pop artists.

We've worked with people like Florence, Luther Vandross,

the list goes on.

Madonna, Chaka Khan, Puff Daddy, Mariah Carey, Blur.

# Come on, come on, come on Get through it... #

Many other artists have helped us to get recognition and so forth,

but nothing gives us the pleasure

that we derive from doing our own performances.

A-dore. How is it spelt?

There's an A at the front, right?

When the choir started, we all had different accidents.

Caribbean, Africans, white English,

the blend wasn't what it should be.

And so I started getting the choir to pronounce vowels

as I wanted to hear them.

"O, come, let us a-dore him."

It created a sound that was so unique to the choir.

Whatever emotion those lyrics make you feel, sing with that emotion.

You're never just singing.

You're always singing with a meaning and with a feeling,

thinking about the word you're saying, whatever it is.

Now, I get to sing with the LCGC.

I've chosen a favourite of mine by Israel Houghton.

He's one of those singers who, along with Andrae Crouch, Sam Cooke,

Mahalia Jackson, who communicate directly from their souls,

whether it's from the altar, or up on stage.

And Gospel music originated from spiritual songs in the time of slavery.

It springs from a well of suffering and it offers transcendence.

This is a song that I always turn to in times of trouble

and it pulls me right back up again.

It's called, I Am Not Forgotten.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Come on!

# I am not forgotten I am not forgotten

# I am not forgotten

# God knows my name

# I am not forgotten I am not forgotten

# I am not forgotten

-# God knows my name

-He knows my name

All right.

Yes, he does.

# Light over darkness

# Strength over weakness

# Joy over sadness

-# He knows my name

-He knows my name

# Father to the fatherless

# Friend to the friendless

# Hope for the hopeless

-# He knows my name

-He knows my name

-# I will praise you

-# I will praise you

-# I will praise you

-# I will praise you

# For I am fearfully and wonderfully made

# I am not forgotten I am not forgotten

# I am not forgotten God knows my name

# Oh, yeah!

# I am not forgotten I am not forgotten

-# No, no!

-# I am not forgotten

# God knows my name

# He knows my name

# A-ha, a-ha

-# He knows my name

-# Yeah, yeah

# Yes, he does

# Whoo, sing it for me

-# Light over darkness

-Light over darkness

-# Strength over weakness

-Strength over weakness

-# Joy over sadness

-Joy over sadness

-# He knows my...

-He knows my name

-# Father to the fatherless

-Father to the fatherless

-# Friend to the friendless

-Friend to the friendless

-# Hope for the hopeless

-Hope for the hopeless

-# He knows my name

-He knows!

# I will praise you

# I will praise you

# For I am fearfully and wonderfully made

# I am not forgotten

# Never forsaken

# I am not forgotten

# Never forsaken

-Sing it!

-# I am not forgotten

# Are you never forsaken?

# Never forsaken

# I am not forgotten.

# I am not for...

-# Never forsaken

-Never alone

# I am not forgotten

# No, no, no, no, no

# Never forsaken

Oh, sing it!

# I am not forgotten I am not forgotten

# I am not forgotten God knows my name

-# I am not forgotten

-Do you hear me?

-# I am not forgotten

-Do you hear me?

-# I am not forgotten

-Oh, yeah!

# God knows my...

# He knows my...

# Yeah

-# Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, oh, yeah

-Oh-oh-oh

# Oh, yeah

-# He knows my name

-Oh-oh-oh

-# He knows my name now

-He knows my name! #

Beverley Knight!

When I was a child in Bakersfield, our family home,

a mom and eight kids,

it was on the wonderfully named Christmas Tree Lane so in a way,

it was always Christmas every day and as far as I'm concerned,

my musical hero, Nat King Cole is for every day, too.

He recorded this 19th century carol for the Magic Of Christmas

album in 1960.

Tonight, it's sung very much in their own style

by the House Gospel Choir - Oh Holy Night.

# Ooh, ooh, ooh

# Ooh, ooh, ooh

# Oh, holy night

# Stars brightly shine

# It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth

# Long lay the world

# In sin and error pining

# Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

# A thrill of hope

# The weary world rejoices

# For yonder breaks

# A new and glorious morn Oh...

# Oh, oh, oh, fall Fall on your knees

-# Fall on your knees

-Oh, hear

# Oh, hear

-# The angel's voices

-Oh, no

-# Oh, night

-Oh, night

-# Divine

-Divine

-# Oh, night, yeah

-# Oh, night

# When Christ was born

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

-# Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

-Ooh, ooh, ooh

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

# Truly he taught us

# To love one another

# His love, his love

# And His gospel is peace

# Chains he shall break

# For the slave is our brother

# And in his name

# All oppression must cease

# Oh, oh, oh, oh

# Sweet hymns of joy

# In grateful chorus raise we

# Let all within us praise his holy name

# Oh, oh, oh Christ Christ is the Lord

-# Oh, Christ is the Lord

-# Let's praise

Let's praise

-# Forever praise

-Forever praise we

# Oh, no

-# Praise, praise

-Yeah, yeah, yeah

-# Oh, yeah

-Oh, yeah

# Ooh

# Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

# Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh...

# Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh

# You better praise

# Oh, holy night is the night when Christ was born

# Oh, holy night is the night when Christ was born

# Sing with me

-# Oh, holy night

-Is the night

-# Is the night when Christ was born

-When Christ was born

-# Oh, they had a celebration

-Oh, Holy night is the night

-# Yeah, yeah, is the night

-When Christ was born

-# Oh, oh, holy night

-Yeah, yeah

-# Say "Oh, holy,"

-Oh, holy

# Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

-# Oh, holy

-Oh, holy

-# Oh, holy

-Oh, holy

-# Oh, holy

-Oh, holy

# Yeah, yeah, oh, holy night, hey!

# Oh, holy night is the night

-# When Christ was born

-When Christ was born

-# Oh, oh, oh, yeah

-Oh, holy night

# Yeah

# Oh, holy night is the night when Christ was born. #

You have one end and I have the other and we pull

and then the winner is the person who's got this bit...

OK. ..of the cracker.

-Yes! Ah-ha-ha!

-You got it?

THEY STRUGGLE

# Everyone's a kid at Christmas time... #

The question is, why does gospel and Christmas go so well together?

It's joyous.

It's music which you really can sing from the inside out.

It allows you to kind of let your hair down.

Telling that good news.

What better news than the birth of the baby Jesus?

# A holy, jolly kid at Christmas time... #

-Hold on tight. And you can squeeze.

-I can squeeze. OK.

-It's always like tug-of-war.

-OK.

-This is a British tradition, are you ready?

-OK, is it one, two, three?

-It's one, two, three, pull.

-OK. Who says one, two, three?

What is your favourite Christmas song?

-Fairytale Of New York, definitely.

-"Do You Hear What I Hear?".

This Christmas by Donny Hathaway.

Mahalia Jackson and Nat King Cole and My House.

# Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... #

A lot of jazz music and a lot of

a capella music is taken from Christmas standards.

HE SINGS

-You won! Oh, my God!

-OOH!

Describe your perfect Christmas day.

HE GASPS

-Oh, my God.

-What did Santa bring me?

-Cooking.

I want real sweet potatoes with some crust on it.

SHE LAUGHS

-Maybe some Guinness punch.

-Everyone passes out at about 3.30.

-Yeah!

Christmas is deep, you know.

Gather up in the living room and I want to feel like I felt

when I was nine years old.

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, doo, doo

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo Doo

# Doo, doo, doo-ooh, ooh

# Doo, doo, doo-ooh, ooh

# A ray of hope flickers in the sky

# A tiny star lights up way up high

# All across the land dawns a brand-new morn

# This comes to pass when a child is born

# A silent wish sails the seven seas

# The winds of change whisper in the trees

# And the walls of doubt crumble tossed and torn

# This comes to pass when a child is born

-# A rosy hue settles all around

-Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

# You've got the feel you're on solid ground

# Ooh, ooh, ooh

# For a spell or two no-one seems forlorn

# This comes to pass when a child is born

# When a child is born

# A child is born

# This comes to pass

# This comes to pass

-# It's all a dream

-It's all a dream

-# An illusion now

-An illusion now

# It must come true

# Sometime soon somehow

# All across the land dawns a brand-new morn

-# This comes to pass

-This comes to pass

-# This comes to pass

-This comes to pass

# This comes to pass

# When a child is born

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo Doo, ooh, ohh

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo

# Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo

# When a child is born

# Doo... #

Gregory Porter and Vade with a wonderful arranger,

Ken Burton on the piano!

Wham.

When I was 11 or 12, our church in Wolverhampton built and moved

into a bigger building next door.

And we got bass, we got keys, we got drums and we got guitars,

so the carols could really rock out after that.

It all takes me back there tonight with this great house band.

Right, get ready to raise the roof!

This is a real humdinger from the LCGC. Faith!

Come on, put your hands together.

You don't mind if you go to church, no! Come on, come on!

# It's Christmas time, I think I'll go to church, all right? Hey!

# I'm going to tell you about faith

# Hey, just have faith and you'll believe

# That is what we need

-# Hey, everybody say "Faith!"

-Faith

-# Faith,

-Faith

-Faith,

-Faith

-# Faith,

-Faith

-Faith,

-Faith

-# Faith

-Faith

-# Faith, yeah!

-Faith is what we need

-# Faith is what we need

-If we just believe

-# If we just believe, yeah

-Faith is what we need

-# Yeah, all right

-We need faith

# Do you know, do you know do you know that faith can move

-# Faith can move a mountain

-A mountain

# Move a mountain

-# It can open any door

-Open any door

# Heal your heavy heart Give you more peace of mind

# And it will be your guide, everybody

-# Say faith

-Faith

-# Faith,

-Faith

-Faith,

-Faith

-# Faith,

-Faith

-Faith,

-Faith

-# Faith,

-Faith

# Faith Faith, yeah

# Oh, faith is what we need

-# Hey, hey

-We need faith

-# If you have a problem, problem

-Faith in God will solve it

# Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

-# In your darkest hour

-Faith will give you power, power

-# Say faith

-Faith

-# Faith

-Faith

-# Say faith

-faith

-# Say faith

-Faith

-# And all you need

-Faith

-# To get back to heaven

-Faith

-# And all you need

-Faith

# Faith

# Faith, faith, faith come on, faith

# Faith, put your hands together

# Faith, faith, yeah

-# Faith, yeah

-Faith is what we need

-# Faith is what, what, what, what...

-If we just believe

-# If you just believe, yeah

-Faith is what we need

-# Come on

-We need faith

# Hey, come on!

# Let's go

# Come on, I want to see you moving

# Say faith is what we need Trust in God

# We need to Can I say, can I say, can I say...

# Say faith is what we need Cos dear God

# You will see

# LCGC, let me hear you say it

# Faith is what we need just pray down

# Faith is what we need just pray down and you will see

# Faith is what we need just trust in God you will see

# Hey, hey, hey!

-# F-A-I-T-H

-F-A-I-T-H

-# A little bit of faith

-A little bit of faith

# As small as a mustard seed

# F-A-I-T-H

-# F-A-I-T-H

-A little bit

# Hey, hey, hey

-# Just a little bit

-Just a little bit

-# I said just a little bit

-Just a little bit

-# Just a little bit

-Just a little bit

-# Just a little bit

-Just a little bit

# A little bit of faith is all you need

-# Just a little bit

-Just a little bit

# Just a little

-# Oh, oh, oh, faith

-Faith

-# Faith

-Faith

-# Say faith

-Faith

-Say faith

-Faith

-# Now all you need

-Faith

-# Cos you've got to have it

-Faith

-# And all you need

-Faith

# Faith

# Faith, faith, faith, faith, faith

# Faith, hey

-# Oh, faith is what we need

-Oh, God!

# We need

# Faith

# Yeah, we need

# Just a little bit of

-# Faith, yeah

-Faith

# Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! #

From London Community Gospel Choir with soloist Annette Bowen!

Yes!

Now, we all have our special associations with Christmas.

Growing up in a Jamaican household,

for me, it's waking up to the smell of Christmas day breakfast cooking.

Ackee and saltfish, sausage, bacon and eggs, bammy made from cassava.

And overcooked veggies courtesy of my dad.

Speaking of Dad, I would hear him humming along to

Donny Hathaway, Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Jim Reeves

I don't know what is about West Indians, but they love Jim Reeves.

Now, Donny Hathaway released his song This Christmas

and performing it tonight is the singer and star of The Lion King

and my mate, Shaun Escoffrey.

But first, a look at what happened when he got together

with the House Gospel Choir in the run up to the show.

Hey!

# When the morning when the morning comes

# And the darkness strays...

Ladies and gentlemen, take to your seats.

We've got Shaun Escoffrey in the place!

THEY CHEER

We are really excited about working with Shaun Escoffrey.

There's a load of guys within the choir that really love his voice.

They mix house and gospel together which I think is just amazing.

Cos obviously my background is a bit of house music as well.

WOMAN SHOUTS

The founder of the choir, Natalie Maddix,

she was just like I want to get a bunch of people together that

love House music, that love gospel music and there's a rave onstage.

Make some noise!

THEY CHEER

House music was originally made up from gospel music with just

more of an up tempo beat.

THEY SING

A lot of people struggle to get up and go to church on

a Sunday morning, but they want to be part of that community

so we go to the club on Saturday night and sing to them there.

There's something that connects us all.

We have a tag line which is "we are one."

And I think each week we prove that.

Three and...

# Fireside is burning bright... #

Yeah! Help us out!

# We'll be carolling through the night... #

A lot of the singers that you hear about, you know,

started off in church and then kind of went off and did their own

thing but, you know, their route was a church thing.

Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway.

I remember the first time I hear his voice and it killed me.

I couldn't believe it.

#..A very special Christmas for me... #

Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson..

SHE SINGS

...gospel music means expressing the unexpressable.

Trying to reach a kind of unattainable feeling or emotion.

Rejoicing, praise, love, family, in the form of sound.

That's gospel music to me.

Christmas brings a humanity back to us.

We are kind of all one,

and you know, our differences are not very big.

# Hang all the mistletoe

# I'm going to get to know you better

# This Christmas and as we trim the tree

# Your eyes outshine the town, they do

# This Christmas the firelight is blazing bright

We'll be carolling through the night

# And this Christmas, will be a very special Christmas for me

# And this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me

-# Yeah, yeah

-Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

-# Whoa, yeah

-Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

# Presents and cards are here

# My world is filled with cheer

# And you

# This Christmas

# And as I look around

# Your eyes outshine the town, they do

# This Christmas the firelight is blazing bright

# We'll be carolling through the night

# And this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me

# Yeah, yeah

-# And this Christmas

-This Christmas

# Will be a very special Christmas for me

# Will be a very special whoa, yeah...

# For me, yeah

# Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

# Whoa, whoa, yeah

# Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

# This Christmas

-This Christmas, ooh

-The firelight is blazing bright

# We'll be carolling through the night

-# This Christmas

-Will be

-# Will be

-A very special Christmas for me

# A special Christmas for you and me, this...

-# This Christmas will be

-Yeah, will be

-# A very special Christmas for me

-Yeah, yeah

# For me, yeah, yeah, yeah

# And this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me

# Yeah, yeah, yeah For me and you, yeah

# And this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me

# This Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me, yeah

# Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

# Yeah, oh

# Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba

# Yeah, yeah, yeah. #

Shaun Escoffrey with the House Gospel Choir.

So Beverley and I have been circling each other all evening

and the moment has finally arrived when we get to sing together in

transatlantic harmony.

We're going to do a beautiful song called "Mary Did You Know?"

# Mmm...

# Mary, did you know

# That your baby boy would one day walk on water?

# Mary, did you know

# That your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?

# Did you know

# that your baby boy has come to make you new?

# This child that you delivered will soon deliver you

# Mary, did you know

# That your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?

# Mary did you know

# That your baby boy would calm the storm with His hand?

# Did you know

# That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

# And when you kiss your little baby you kissed the face of God?

# Mary did you know...

# Mmm-hmm-hmm

# Mary, did you know...

-# The blind will see

-The blind will see

-# The deaf will hear

-The deaf will hear

-# The dead will live again

-Whoa

-# The lame will leap

-The lame will leap

-# The dumb will speak

-The dumb will speak

# The praises of the Lord

-# Mary...

-Mary did you know

# That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

# Mary did you know

# That your baby boy would one day rule the nations

# Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb

# The sleeping child you're holding

# Is the great "I am"

# Great "I am"

-# Great...

-Great...

# I am

# Oh, Mary, did you know

# Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary did you know?

# Mary

# Mary, did you know? #

Well, it's been an incredible party.

But it's about time for us to say goodbye.

It's been a great window for me into the British gospel scene.

If this is just a taste of what's going on here then the music

is in real good hands.

Now thank you so much for joining in the fun.

A very happy Gospel Christmas to all of you!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

# Ah, ah, ah, ah

# Oh, come, all ye faithful

# Joyful and triumphant, oh

# Oh, come, come ye, to Bethlehem, whoa

# Come and behold him born the king of ages

# Oh, come let us adore him

# Oh, come let us adore him

# Come let us adore him

-# Come, let us adore him, yeah

-Come let us adore him

# Christ the Lord

# Oh, oh, oh, oh

# Sing choirs of angels

# Sing in exultation

# Oh, sing all you citizens of heaven above

# Glory to Father the highest, whoa

# Oh, come, let us adore him

# Let us adore him

# Oh, come, let us adore him, oh

# Oh come let us adore him Christ the Lord

# Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

# Oh, come, all ye faithful

# Joyful and triumphant

# Oh, come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant

# Oh, come

# Come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come

# Come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come

# Come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come

# Come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come, join the celebrations for him

# Let us adore him

# Oh, come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come

# Let's celebrate together

# Oh, come, join the celebrations for him

# A child is born

# My soul is given

# Lean on his shoulders

# And he shall make all wonderful

# And he shall be called counsellor

# And he shall be called my God

# Yes, he will, yes, he will

# Oh come

# Oh come, let us adore him

# Come on

# Oh, come, let us adore him

# Oh, come, let us adore him

# Christ the Lord

# Christ the Lord

# Christ the Lord, oh

# Oh, yeah

# Oh, oh, oh, oh

APPLAUSE

# Join the celebrations for him

# Oh come...

# Come, join the celebrations for him

# Oh, come, let us adore him

# Christ the Lord

# Oh, oh, oh, oh... #